A discriminating view of death penalty deliberations

In Gerald Stansbury's commentary ("Unrepresentative committee blocks Md. death penalty repeal vote," Jan. 2), he implies that four of members of the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee members who voted "no" on allowing the death penalty to go to a floor vote did so because they are white and from Baltimore County and do not represent those most affected — people of color.

Mr. Stansbury states that "this racial bias has no place in public policy," as he sees it from his position as president of the NAACP Maryland State Conference. He suggests that Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller change the demographic make-up of this committee to better serve Marylanders of all colors.

Are these four white state senators totally unable to use their own discretion and experience to make decisions regardless of their demographic group? Mr. Stansbury needs to remember the words from another person of color, "judged by the content of their character and not by the color of their skin."